A "low-key" trip, just visiting some previous haunts and gaining familiarity.
In a field just south of Cambridge's Addenbrookes Hospital a fox watched the train pass.
At Kings Cross the escalator down to the Piccadilly Line was off - at least the up one was working. In recent months Piccadilly Line trains hadn't been stopping here as no escalators were in operation.
The meeting was in the Royal Society of Arts, just to the south of the Strand in John Adam Street.
After the meeting (16:45) I crossed Villiers Street to the Ship and Shovell for a pint of Tanglefoot (£2.35). There were three or four other Badger beers on. Most seats were taken yet it was the quietest I'd ever seen the place, though it began to fill up around 5pm.
Next I went for an early supper at Porters, this time having the chicken, leek and button mushroom pie. The vegetables were peas, sweet swede mash and chopped spring onions - much better than mash! [I'm baffled as to why mashed potatoes have come back into fashion for better pubs and restaurants in recent years.] For pud I had syrup sponge and custard. I noticed the menu included two dessert wines by the glass - very civilised! I've yet to try the delicious-sounding cold puds. With a half-bot of Zinfandel again and at the sane price of £17.85, this made my day! The place was quiet when I arrived (it's open all afternoon - how civilised) but started to fill up around 6pm.
I strolled over to the Hogshead and found there was still plenty of standing room there but no particularly interesting beers on, so I walked on past the Coach & Horses - yet again packed out (is it ever quiet?).
I looped back around Covent Garden to Leicester Square Tube station, passing the second Indian restaurant I've spotted in the area, the Empress of India in Gt. Newport Street. According to Web sites there are a few others about but they do seem rare here compared with Cambridge and with other types of restaurant, such as pasta ones. The Tube wasn't too packed for the journey back to King's Cross.